Kind Words
“My fiancée and I had Sierra with Wild Iris Studios photograph our engagement in Juneau, and I honestly can’t say enough good things about the experience. I was pretty nervous planning a surprise proposal, but Sierra made everything so easy. She helped with the details, communication was great, and she genuinely cared about making sure everything went smoothly.” – Zaak
The Proposal at Skater’s Cabin
Zaak told me the ring was in his left breast pocket. “Keep her off that side”, he said, like we were running some kind of secret operation.
Which, I guess we were.
Skater’s Cabin sits at the edge of Mendenhall Lake, with the glacier visible across the water and mountains rising behind it. It’s quiet out there in a way that the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor’s Center isn’t, and Zaak had picked it intentionally because of that.
Olivia thought they were headed out for a couples photo session at Skater’s Cabin. That was the cover story. I started the “session” the way I typically do, by having them walk back and forth to warm them up. We went through a few typical photos.
Then, it was time.
During our consult call, I told Zaak that at some point, I was going to have them face away from each other, take two steps like a western showdown, and turn back around for a “dirty dancing” moment. Instead of taking that step, he got down on one knee.
Engagement Photos on Herbert Glacier
That wasn’t the only surprise Zaak had planned that day. After a few hours back on the ship to eat and change, we met up at Coastal Helicopters, where I was going to tag along and take some epic engagement photos for them. The flight to Herbert Glacier takes about 30 to 40 minutes round trip.
The original plan included a second landing at the dog camp and extended dogsledding time, but the dog camp fogged in, so we lost that stop. We still got time on the ice near the glacier face and views of the Lynn Canal in the distance. By the time we landed on the ice, it had been a full day. Zaak and Olivia were running on the particular kind of adrenaline that comes from feeling so much in such a short period of time.
The Photos
Thinking About a Juneau Proposal?
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Want to See More?
If you want to see more from Skater’s Cabin proposals, Kaiden and Rylee’s session is a good one. Same location, different energy.
See more from this session on Instagram.
FAQs: Glacier Engagement Photos in Alaska
Yes. Herbert and Mendenhall are both part of the larger Juneau Icefield. Mendenhall is visible from Juneau, while Herbert is not. Mendenhall is much more popular and well known with frequent helicopters flying above you while you are on the ice. Herbert is more remote and provides more privacy and quiet.
Both Herbert and Mendenhall are accessible by tedious trail hikes or short helicopter rides. Three helicopter companies operate out of Juneau, but only Coastal Helicopters land on the Herbert Glacier. The flight is about 30 to 40 minutes round trip.
Layers you actually like. A base layer, something warm in the middle, and a wind-resistant outer layer on top. Earth tones, deep colors, greys and blues photograph well against the ice.
Book them on the same helicopter tour through the Helicopter company. If you are worried about spoiling the surprise, call the helicopter company ahead of time. They are used to requests like this. The key is coordinating timing early; tours book out fast during cruise season, and you want everyone confirmed on the same flight.
It happens. Helicopter companies make the final call on safety, and Alaska weather doesn’t always follow the plan. It’s not uncommon for flights to get cancelled or postponed due to fog or wind conditions. It’s a good idea to have a solid backup plan in place, whether that be a different date or different location.
